and Decrees of god, &c. 57o. Further I defire that is may be fpecially noted , that God is our Creator in Order of Nature before he is ourRuler; And that Nature: is before Morality, ( obedience Or fin. ) And that God as Creatorfirft Ceded the order of fo, as that the Alteration of thät Law or fetledOr- der fhould not be ordinarily expeéted by us, though he can alter it : And therefore that man is man, andhath a Natural PowerofSelf-determinati- on, and that God upholdeth him,, and concurreth as an Univerfal.Caufe belongeth to this forefetlednatural order, and is prefuppofed to moralde- terminations and fpecifications, either as fromGodor man. 571. And note, that to Good ,elas we have need of more Help from God, than thismeet Naturalcaufality and conctirfê. And therefore God, affordeth us more accordingly; but not to all alike. 572. It is further objected, againft thisway, that our making Reproba tion,toInfidelity, Permßion offin, not-giving faith, ,carc. to be no Ads ofGod, cometh all to one as to mens fin and damnation; becaufe.mars, 'cannot believe , nor avoid fin, without thole 4lts of Grace which God withholdeth ? Anfw. I confefs it were all one if the fuppofition were trúe., as it is not : For we haveproved after, that man bath power without thofe ads of Grace whichGod fufpendeth, by that common Grace which he giveth, to do more good and forbear more evil than they. do : Of which in due place.. 573 Ít is objected alfo, that while we make Gods Providence to fill the World with occafions of fin , which he fore-knoweth men will take to their damnation, yea,, as long as God couldprevent all fin, and fave all fouls, and yet will not; it cometh all to one which way foeveryou go in thefe Contreverfies. I anfwer, i. Undoubtedly Gods Judgements are unfearchable. But when we come into his Light., we (hall be perfectly reconciled to thení all. a. And Undoubtedly God dochwhatfoever he will, and all that he thought meet to Decree or Will, (hall come to pafs in defpight of fin. 3. Andwhen we have faid all, flefh and blood will be unfatisfied, till faith and the will of God do fatisfieus. 4.But yet be it known toyou, that there is a great difference between Godspermitting fin ( after great means againft it) and his caufing it: Between,the makingof a free agent, and puttinglife or death in his choice; and his caufing menunavoidably to fin; and then todamn them for it. TheHolinefs ofGods Naturewill ftandwith the Being of fin, by mans caufing 5 but not with Godscaufing it. Andthe Truth of GodsWord mull be confidered. 574. If this were all one (to Damn mëti unavoidably , and to give them their free choiceof Heaven or Hell, in the means) it is ftrange that fomany Learned men as among the 7efaits, 4rminians, Lutherans and creeks, do hold no other Grace at all , but what leaveth man to lush a free Choice, could ever be fo fatisfied: ( when others hold that the Elect have snoré.) Nì SECT;
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